Statesmen sports set out for State

SOCCER

Junior Sheriden Smith battles for the ball against Summit on Sept. 2. (Photo by Bret Waelterman)

Statesmen soccer finished its regular season at 18-5-1, winning Conference,and ranked sixth according to stltoday’s large school area rankings.

It competed in the CYC Tournament at the end of September and rode a dramatic semifinal victory against CBC to the championship, rallying on goals from juniors Antoine Givens and Trey Paloucek to advance.

After the victory, men’s basketball coach Jay Blossom tweeted: “Congratulations to @WebsterHSSoccer on a program changing win!” Webster went down 2-1 to SLUH in the tournament final, and now it is looking to contend for a state championship.
The team has beaten other powerhouse schools like DeSmet, Summit, Lindbergh, Collinsville, Kirkwood and last year’s State winner Rockhurst.

This is the first year Missouri high school soccer has had four classifications, and Webster stayed in Class 3 while the largest 64 schools in Missouri moved up to Class 4.

SWIMMING

Men’s swimming is a team of sophomores and two seniors.

WGHS awarded its Athlete of the Month in September to sophomore Michael Greaves. “I try to stay committed to showing up and doing my best to support the team,” said Greaves. “Everyone has a chance (at qualifying for State), but it’s a four year commitment if you do. I think in the next few years, we’ll get increasingly better, and we’ll have more state contenders.”

TENNIS

Women’s tennis started Districts on Sept. 29, where it faced Gateway, which apparently only had two players, and it advanced.
Then it lost 1-5 in the next round to Visitation Academy.

Women’s tennis has had its best season in years. It finished the regular season with a record of 8-3, beating teams like Ursuline Academy, Oakville and Nerinx Hall. Webster tied with McCluer to take second place in Conference.

The Varsity doubles, led by seniors Allie Thomas and Kelly Keefe, took first place in the Webster Groves Doubles Tournament.
Thomas has been the number one player on the team since she was a freshman, where she made it to the State tournament. On Oct. 3, Thomas won the individual District 3 title and won in Sectionals, so she played in the State tournament. Thomas placed seventh in State after she lost to the eventual champion, Caroline Pozo of Lafayette.

CROSS COUNTRY

Men’s cross country has contended in State competition this year, but senior Tyler Lawson, who holds the school’s 5K record, has been hampered by an Achilles tendon injury. The team hope to have him ready to compete to go to state, after the conference meet on Oct. 15 and the District meet on Oct. 25.

“It definitely affects State,” said sophomore Colin Gilker. “We have (senior) Lamont Wilson always encouraging us to get big though,” he joked. Team chemistry has been a factor all year, according to Gilker. The team won Conference, with Lawson being the individual winner for the meet.

The women’s cross country team is also coming off a State run last year. The team is led by Varsity senior Emma Johnson.
The women’s Varsity cross country team won Conference also with Johnson placing second and Lawson placing first.

Lawson finished with a time of 17:19:47 on the 5K, followed by junior Lucas Bennett, Wilson and junior Billy Howells coming in third, fourth and fifth.

Johnson finished a time 19:28:40, followed by sophomore Emma Harrelson who placed fourth and junior Christy Boschert, who placed sixth.

FOOTBALL

After a tough start to the season losing 58-12 to Francis Howell, the football Statesmen have bounced back to win four straight games. Last year, Webster lost to Parkway Central in the Missouri State semifinals.

Webster is ranked second in the state in class five, according to the STLtoday football rankings. The team is led by senior quarterback Rob Thompson, Mizzou recruit senior wide receiver and defensive back Cam Hilton and senior running back Nick Delgado.

Thompson said, “I feel good about our team this year. I think if we play good, we will go all the way. We’re a very deep team with a very good chance.”

The class of 2015 has never experienced playing in the Dome while in high school, so the team hopes for a JV Turkey Day, according to Thompson. They start the playoffs on Halloween, facing Chaminade or McCluer North at Moss Field.

SOFTBALL

Freshman Karlee Sholtes hits the ball during a Freshman softball game at Plymouth Field. (Photo by Bret Waelterman)

Statesmen softball finished the regular season 15-11, which has it positioned in stltoday’s high school area rankings bubble (of schools just outside the top 10).

“I can tell especially the seniors really want to win,” said sophomore Maggie Pool. “They want to go out with a bang. They’ve been working out some kinks to make the team as solid a squad as possible. They really do want to fight for that big ‘W.’”

Senior pitcher Madyson Stallcup has made the most news for the team this year by breaking the WGHS’s personal all time wins record, previously 39.

The team finished its season losing to Kirkwood in Districts 2-0 with a record of 15-12.

VOLLEYBALL

Women’s volleyball will make a run into Districts after defeating Nerinx Hall for the first time in school history, according to Maxpreps.com.

The team finished 23-6-1 and “on the bubble” in large school rankings, according to STLhighschoolSPORTS.com rankings.
The team is led by Texas A&M Corpus Christi volleyball recruit senior Mallory Moran with over 200 kills this season.
Other crucial seniors this year are Laura Workman, Hanna Albers and setter Rachael Sondag.

Webster won the Sub XIIS Conference after defeating its rival Kirkwood, but later lost to Kirkwood in Districts on Oct. 21.

Hixson cancels annual activity fair

Assistant activities director Cliff Ice announced March 8, that the Hixson Activity Fair scheduled for March 14, has been canceled due to the potential school protests.

The fair provides an opportunity for Hixson eighth graders to talk to current Webster Groves High School students representing different sports and clubs.

The fair has not been rescheduled.

Musicians compete at Solo and Ensemble festival

Orchestra students earned awards in 10 events at the Solo and Ensemble festival at Parkway Central High School on Saturday, March 3.

Senior Jeremy Ling earned exemplary ratings in all three of his events and will also compete at State.

Those who received exemplary ratings and may compete at State for solo performances are Ling for Violin Solo, senior Alex Bird for Violin Solo, senior Anna Bussler for Violin Solo and junior Hope Johnson for Cello Solo.

Those who received exemplary ratings for ensembles were seniors Bird, Bussler, Brady Chrisler and Ling for Violin Quartet; and seniors Chrisler, Ling and Terry Johnson for Violin Trio.

Those who received outstanding ratings were freshmen Anna Tetreault and Ava Andrews for String Duet, senior Kelaiah Killmade for Cello Solo and freshman Nataly Meckfessel for Cello Solo.

Students earn service award

This award recognizes Americans who volunteer significant amounts of time to serve their communities and country and was granted by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program.

Seniors recognized as Missouri Scholars

Seniors Jack Snelling and Ethan Whitaker will be recognized by the Missouri Scholars 100, a statewide program that honors 100 of Missouri’s top academic students, at a luncheon in Columbia on April 22.

Photo of the Week

"To the adults who say we are too naive, too idealistic, too inexperienced and that we will not get this done: we would like nothing more to be in our classrooms right now." Elliot Williams said to the student who walked out to protest gun laws and the administration who watched to make sure everyone is safe on Wednesday, March 14. Photo by Riley Mullgardt